Scripted by Tony award-winning playwright and ‘Brothers and Sisters’ creator Jon Robin Baitz, the film chronicles the June 28, 1969 police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a Mafia-run gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York. Police raids on gay bars were not unusual in the 1960s. However, that night the patrons decided they’d had enough and fought back. The raid led to violent protests and street demonstrations that lasted for the next six days, and became a catalyst for the modern Gay Rights movement.

According to the trade, Emmerich’s drama will focus on a homeless gay man (Irvine) who experiences a political awakening in the backdrop of the riots.

Michael Fossat, Marc Frydman and Emmerich will produce, while Kirstin Winkler and Adam Press will serve as executive producers.

Emmerich will shoot ‘Stonewall’ before he gets to work on his long-gesting follow-up to ‘Independence Day.’